April 1995
The Royal Society of Chemistry has produced this paper following extensive consideration and consultation. It seeks to identify key issues of interest to providers of programmes of study and research leading to the award of the PhD. These guidelines are based on aspects of good practice which are already widespread in universities and which should nonetheless be more widely known so as to further enhance the high quality of the chemistry PhD. The guidelines are intended to assist institutions in the further development of good practice and in the interpretation of the regulations governing the award of their PhD degrees.
These guidelines have been prepared by the Scientific Affairs Board in the context of the pattern of first degree courses existing in the UK in 1994/95. If, as the Society expects, in the future a significant proportion of UK students commencing PhD programmes have had the benefit of an enhanced first degree education through the medium of the MChem/MSci courses being introduced by many universities, then a number of the recommendations are likely to be met, at least in part, at the undergraduate level.
Universities in the United Kingdom have an outstanding record of achievement in chemical research and research training. Nevertheless they will be aware that criticisms have been made of various aspects of PhD (or DPhil) programmes in general, with particular concern being expressed about completion rates and about some aspects of the relevance of the training offered. Measures have been discussed which are intended to meet some of these criticisms, but because the problems vary considerably from one subject to another, the Royal Society of Chemistry has been considering carefully aspects of the education and training offered in the universities for the PhD degree in chemistry.
In the case of chemistry, completion rates and average times to completion are regarded as broadly satisfactory so that this issue is not a matter of major concern. However, university departments need to remain vigilant in this respect not least in view of possible sanctions by the Research Councils.
It must be emphasised that in chemistry the links between academe and those industries based on chemistry are necessarily close and have been so throughout this century. This symbiosis is essential to each partner and underpins the success of the British chemical and pharmaceutical industries which make a substantial positive contribution to the balance of payments of the United Kingdom. The symbiosis is also one of the reasons why foreign companies are willing to make significant research and manufacturing investments in the UK in this sector of activity.
Any proposals which would disturb the current generally successful arrangements for PhD training in chemistry must therefore be subjected to the closest scrutiny in order to ensure that they offer real improvement. The Society has argued strongly against changes in the basic structure of PhD programmes in chemistry and it is its view that what is needed is a change in the balance of studies rather than a change of structure.
Many PhD programmes are interdisciplinary in nature and much good research in chemistry is undertaken in the context of such programmes conducted in a wide variety of settings. Many of the recommendations in these guidelines are also likely to apply to research training undertaken in multidisciplinary groups.
The PhD awarded to those who have critically investigated and evaluated a topic resulting in an independent and original contribution to knowledge set out in a thesis which has been examined and defended, represents the acme of the UK s formal system of education. The maintenance of the standard of the award is vital to the integrity of the system, to the wellbeing and continuance of the academic community, and of the disciplines on which it is based and which it in turn sustains.
Holders of a PhD should be characterised by independence of thought reflected in an ability to undertake scholarship and research on an individual basis, albeit within a research team environment. The programme of study leading to the award should have developed their investigative skills in the wider context of a broadening and maturing of the mind, and of their experience and knowledge. In short, a PhD graduate should be able to identify, analyse and solve challenging problems.
PhD programmes are a cost-effective way to develop further graduate-level skills, knowledge and expertise, so that doctoral graduates can make an even greater contribution to wealth creation than do first degree graduates, either directly in industry or indirectly in, for example, the service sector and education. The award of the PhD comes at the end of a long process of formal education and represents a large investment by individuals and the community in terms of opportunities foregone and of the necessary financial provision. Programmes of education and training leading to this award should therefore be conducted as effectively and efficiently as possible, particularly as the number of PhD students in chemistry is large and continues to increase.
Before considering aspects of the process of education and training leading to the award of a PhD, the purpose of the education and training should be considered.
2.1.1 Original Research
The essential purpose of PhD training must remain in its traditional form of a period of apprenticeship in research with the graduate student working, to begin with, closely with an experienced supervisor and gradually becoming more self-reliant and being eventually able to write a thesis independently which is based on his or her own work. Some students will inevitably progress to a high degree of independence more rapidly than others, depending on their ability, temperament, and on the choice of topic and skill of the supervisor.
The basic framework of the chemistry PhD in this country has proved to be effective and the great majority of students succeed in completing original research. Their research makes a significant contribution to science and supplements and underpins industrial research.
2.1.2 Other Personal and Professional Skills
The second purpose of PhD training is that students should acquire many personal and professional skills, which are necessary not only for their research, but also to form the basis for the development of their future careers. They should also gain the confidence needed to tackle problems requiring independent thought.
Although chemistry PhD programmes in the UK have proved to be a good preparation for further research, and the chemical industry is generally very supportive of them, enquiries by the Society have shown that there are certain criticisms which need to be considered. The Society has come to the conclusion that measures should be taken to meet these criticisms.
Of the criticisms which have come to the attention of the Society, and which were highlighted in the Office of Science and Technology's (OST) Consultation Paper A New Structure for Postgraduate Research Training Supported by the Research Councils , there are three major issues which need to be addressed. These are:
The Society is firmly of the view that these shortcomings can be remedied within the present system which, in broad terms at least, is functioning well in chemistry.
The Society is aware that in its general overview, the OST's paper was also critical of the inadequacy of the training of some students in research methodologies. There is little evidence that this is a serious problem in chemistry; in making criticisms of the PhD in chemistry, employers have not highlighted shortcomings in this regard. Research methodologies, which include scientific method and project management, are normally taught on a person to person basis by the day-to-day supervision of the student.
The guidance set out later in this paper is the result of consideration within the Society and of consultation outside it. These guidelines seek to identify issues which should be of interest to all providers of programmes of study and research leading to the PhD in chemistry. In so far as they suggest remedies , these are offered as exemplars of good practice and not as panaceas; they are based in part on experiences which institutions have generously shared with the Society.
It should be emphasised that it is certainly not the intention of the Society to try to prescribe in detail how PhD training should be carried out. Every university department will have its own view of how this is best done in detail. Nevertheless, there is some general guidance which the Society wishes to recommend to all departments.
Measures which would, in the opinion of the Society, improve the situation are discussed below under the following headings:
There is an understandable tendency for research students, who become very enthusiastic about their particular problem, to focus too narrowly on their topic of research. It is essential that supervisors should do everything possible to convince their students of the need to obtain a detailed knowledge of a range of topics related to their research as well as a general knowledge of their subject. Setting their own research in the context of the work of others is obviously important, but students need to appreciate also that new ideas so often come from acquaintance with other areas of science.
Furthermore, a period of graduate study should be regarded as part of an education for a future where knowledge of many different aspects of the subject is bound to be required and where many new skills will have to be acquired. Knowledge of a subject can be considered as a hierarchy of levels, starting with appreciation of the subject, through understanding , to mastery of it; a PhD graduate might be expected to have mastery of his or her own narrow field of research, understanding of a range of topics related to it, and appreciation of a much wider range of science.
PhD students are at the start of their careers as professional chemists and it is not unreasonable that they should devote about 10% of their programmes to studies other than their research project. In the early part of their programmes, the bulk of their efforts will necessarily be aimed at directly supporting their intended research (i.e. to understanding ). As time progresses, the emphasis should shift towards the appreciation of the wider context in which they are working.
Much will depend on the ability and previous education of the student. This document has been prepared in the context of the existing pattern of UK first degree courses. If, as the Society expects, a significant proportion of UK students entering PhD programmes in the future have had the benefit of an enhanced first degree education through the medium of MChem/MSci courses being developed by many universities, then a number of the current recommendations for the PhD are likely to be met, at least in part, at the undergraduate level. Students holding relevant post-graduate qualifications (e.g. MSc or MRes qualifications) may similarly have met some of these recommendations. Most internationally recognised and respected chemistry PhD graduates from the UK in the future will need to spend a minimum of seven years in higher education.
4.1.1 Science Understanding
All PhD students should be required to take taught courses relating to their own subject of research. Such courses will directly support the research and set it in context. The extent and nature of the studies will depend upon the topic and the prior experience of the student, so that the time and effort required is likely to vary widely for different individuals. While some 45 hours of tuition might constitute a typical programme which will normally be undertaken in the first year of the PhD, many students may need substantially more time, while some will require less.
4.1.2 Science Awareness
A PhD graduate should have an awareness of developments in chemistry across a broad front and should undertake a programme of taught courses and other forms of study to assist in its acquisition. Whether the courses take the form of lectures, problem classes, or tutorials, it is essential that all students take part in a defined and agreed programme of courses. Some students will be better prepared than others by their previous education, but it is the view of the Society that, even for the best prepared students, a minimum of 45 hours of contact time should be devoted throughout the period of the PhD to formal broadening courses of appropriate kinds. This is equivalent to only about one hour per week over a year and should be in addition to the specialised courses which students would take in any case.
Every effort should be made to convince the students of the importance to themselves of such opportunities, rather than regarding this requirement as yet another chore! It is for the heads of departments and all their colleagues to establish a culture in which it is taken for granted that everyone inculcates a habit of reading widely around his or her subject. However, institutions may find that this can profitably be reinforced by various sanctions to ensure that a reasonable range of courses is completed. Means of assessing progress within PhD programmes are discussed below.
Taught courses taken by PhD students are unlikely to be particular to them. Many courses can also form part of the final year of undergraduate studies, taught masters courses or be drawn from other departments. A particular problem faced by some small departments is that they may find it difficult to provide a desirable range of studies. Collaborative arrangements with other institutions not too far distant geographically are likely to prove beneficial in such cases.
4.1.3 Departmental Seminars
Chemistry departments normally provide a regular programme of seminars throughout the year, some given by contributors from other universities and others given by members of staff and research students. Research students should be encouraged very strongly to attend a wide range of research seminars, as well as student chemical society meetings and RSC Local Section and Subject Group activities and other external events. Supervisors can help a great deal with this by ensuring that they themselves go to many of these seminars and talk about them with their students. Participation in activities of this kind have a significant contribution to make in fostering the general scientific awareness and broader education of students.
4.1.4 The Needs of Part-time and Industry-based Students
While having due regard for the experiential learning of part-time PhD students and of students working in an industrial environment, it is nonetheless essential that they also be required to engage in appropriate programmes of advanced study. Such requirements need to be made clear both to the students and to their employers at the time the students are registered.
Some professional skills will already have been developed at the undergraduate level, but the PhD training will require a considerable improvement and extension of them. A distinction can be drawn between skills of a general nature and those more specifically related to chemistry.
In fulfilment of the objective in its Royal Charter which requires the Society to establish, uphold and advance the standards of qualification, competence and conduct of those who practise chemistry as a profession , the Society accredits undergraduate courses and requires that graduates from such courses demonstrate their competence to practise before their admission as Chartered Chemists. The professional requirements for the award of CChem embrace many of the aims of the PhD and provide a framework for guiding and assessing the progress of students. The Society s arrangements for mentoring and structured assessment are set out in an Appendix and are commended to institutions as a framework for enhancing the professional competence of PhD chemists.
4.2.1 Communication Skills
Clear, concise, written communication is of great importance and PhD students should be given regular practice; written reports should be expected from them at regular intervals, on which they should receive rapid and substantial feedback. It is proposed below that every student should present a report on his or her progress at the end of each year, and have to defend it orally in a rather formal setting. This provides practice in report writing, which is useful preparation for the thesis, and valuable experience of presenting and defending a case orally.
Oral communication can be improved and developed if students are expected to give a number of seminars during their period of training. Some seminars can be used to present their own work; others might be of a review, or current awareness nature which would encourage students to read more widely. In any case the supervisor should advise and comment on the preparation and organisation of the seminar and on its oral delivery; there will also, no doubt, be plenty of comment and criticism from fellow students. Departmental seminars give an opportunity to practise the difficult art of explaining a highly technical matter to an audience not fully familiar with it.
Practice in written and oral communication to varied audiences should be encouraged throughout the period of the PhD programme. Supervisors should make every effort to convince their students of the enormous value of this skill in whatever career they pursue.
Some institutions bring in professional advisers to assist with training in presentational skills, while others have members of staff specially trained to give this advice. Students are much more likely to be receptive to such training, which will then be most effective, if it is given shortly before they are required to present a key seminar, rather than as part of an introductory course at the beginning of a PhD. The availability of video recording facilities can be very helpful to students rehearsing a seminar.
4.2.2 Personal Skills
There are many personal skills, such as self-management, time management, and the organisation of laboratory work, which are normally developed with the help of the day-to-day contact with a supervisor. To develop skills of planning and self-management students need to take an overview of their programmes of study. As an aid to this, students should keep a log book in which an agreed programme of formal courses, workshops and internal and external seminars is set out with objectives to be attained through participation. This log book should be reviewed periodically and achievement recorded. (This record would be supplementary to the normal detailed records of experimental work planned and undertaken.) The log book would be a valuable document to supervisors and examiners in reviewing students progress and achievements.
It is not possible for every student to be given an opportunity to do some demonstrating to practical classes or teaching, but there is no doubt about the value of such activities in enhancing inter-personal and presentational skills, and indeed students understanding of aspects of the subject.
Increasing numbers of students are now studying a foreign language as a more or less formal part of their first degree courses. Where this has been the case, students should be encouraged to maintain and enhance such an invaluable skill during their period as postgraduates.
4.2.3 Technical Skills
Every PhD programme involves the acquisition of various technical professional skills. Basic laboratory skills can and must be taught in relation to fundamental aspects of safety and the statutory conduct of COSHH assessments. However, most laboratory arts and crafts will be learnt by example, observation and comment in the general atmosphere of a highly professional laboratory environment. The maintenance of such an environment requires vigilance and effort on the part of staff.
Some professional training courses are clearly taken by all; others, such as workshop practice, electronics, computing, special aspects of quantum mechanics etc, will be taken by students who need them, or wish to benefit from the opportunity of taking them. Students should also be given an insight into intellectual property rights and acquire a grounding in research ethics.
The ability to locate, analyse and reproduce information is a critical skill for any researcher. It is becoming a more complex and demanding task, both in terms of the expanding knowledge base and the increase in the complexity of the techniques available for the acquisition of information. Students not only need to develop these skills themselves but also to learn when it is more profitable to seek expert advice, for example from a librarian.
The great majority of PhD students will already be proficient in basic aspects of information technology. However, it may be necessary to make special provision for some students who may previously have had only limited access to such equipment and lack such basic skills. During their programmes all students should become thoroughly conversant with chemical databases and with the applications of information technology particularly relevant to their areas of chemistry.
In their later employment, PhD graduates are likely to have to work with others as part of a team; indeed many industrial organisations make the acquisition of team skills a priority in their staff development programmes. Institutions could with benefit look at the methods employed in industry to see if they could be adapted to the academic environment. Supervisors should encourage their students to take whatever opportunities there are to acquire the personal skills needed. In larger research groups students can be encouraged to view their projects as part of a multifaceted attack on a related series of problems.
Within the context of a PhD programme conducted in an academic institution, there will not normally be time to provide much information about the priorities and expectations of chemically based industries. Such skills are in any case best acquired on entry to industry, either through the training programmes of major employers or, in the case of the employees of smaller organisations, through specialised externally operated training programmes.
At the end of their PhD programmes graduates will need to make informed career choices. Students in receipt of CASE awards and other similarly industrially sponsored projects have opportunities for direct contact with industry. For other students opportunities such as the EPSRC/CRAC Graduate Schools should be exploited when possible, the more so since students find them of considerable value. In addition, institutions should exploit their external links in the interests of their students to provide visits or short term external placements whenever possible.
The quality of supervision is the single most important element in the successful conduct of PhD programmes. Every institution will have its own regulations about the duties of a supervisor. He or she guides and collaborates with the student, usually proposing the topic of research and giving guidance about its progress; guidance which is usually rather detailed in the early stages but becomes more and more at 'arms length' as the student becomes more mature and confident in his or her research ability. In the case of very large research groups where effective day to day supervision may be delegated to junior staff, the adequacy and performance of such staff needs to be closely monitored.
The guidance provided by the supervisor should apply with equal force to the actual conduct of the research, to all the other scientific and professional training, and to the level of personal development which the student should aim to reach before graduation. The check list appended to this report should prove helpful in this regard.
Careful regard should be given in the selection and validation of the research project to ensure that it contains sufficient scope for originality of thought and the development of research skills. It should not be so ambitious as to make it unlikely that sufficient progress can be made within the required time to permit the work to be written up in a thesis.
The programme of studies to be completed by a student needs to be established on an individual basis. This should be done by the supervisor(s) in collaboration with the student and should then be formalised by a statement setting out the proposed scope of the studies and how their successful completion will be formally assessed. That agreement might be registered through the administrative mechanisms of the institution as part of the registration process.
Throughout the PhD programme the supervisor(s) will monitor the progress of the student in detail and report frankly and constructively to the student. New research students usually need a lot of support and encouragement especially when, as often happens, things seem to be going badly. A balance between criticism and encouragement needs to be maintained; it is no kindness to allow a student to continue on a research project and programme of studies with little real prospect of success.
4.3.1 Newly appointed supervisors
The proper supervision of research students is not an easy task. It should not be assumed that newly appointed staff will in all cases come equipped with the necessary skills. Just as it is now generally thought desirable to provide guidance and to monitor the progress of newly appointed teaching staff by some combination of formal provision (often in part at least at an institutional level) and mentoring by senior colleagues, so it would seem necessary for similar provision to be made when staff start to supervise research students for the first time. The necessity for the involvement of senior colleagues will decline as successful experience of supervision is gained, though there is merit in the continuance of collaborative supervision arrangements.
4.3.2 The Broadening of Staff-Student Interaction
The one to one supervisor-research student relationship differs from the normal staff-undergraduate student relationship in its intimacy. While this usually brings with it many benefits, it can sometimes give rise to tensions which are not necessarily the fault of either party. In the interests of students and staff, departments should have in place procedures whereby such tensions can be defused, and in extreme cases, arrangements made for a change of supervision. This requires some essentially independent staff involvement.
In the past such involvement has often been the duty of the head of department, but in large departments this can place an intolerable burden on a busy person. Some institutions have found it helpful to have a 'second supervisor' thereby encouraging a team approach to supervision, or to involve another member of staff on a more limited basis (referred to as a 'collaborating academic' at some institutions) associated with each student. This person, while having a general knowledge of the project, need not be an expert in it, but can keep in touch with the student and the principal supervisor, while having a measure of detachment from them. It is helpful for a student to know that there is a second person to whom he or she can go for advice when needed. The appointment of a collaborating academic is commended in cases where there is no second supervisor.
Institutions should have procedures in place which enable any shortcomings in the quality of the supervision to be identified and rectified at the various reporting stages throughout a student s programme. The earlier that this can reasonably occur, the better it is for the student. [In the preparation of this guidance, the Society has received much comment from industry on the importance of this matter.]
Staff should bear in mind that due priority needs to be given to the interests of the student who has the right to expect a proper education and training in research which goes far beyond the production of research papers. Obtaining publishable results is important for the student, but must always be integrated with a rounded education and training.
PhD students working in large research groups have the advantage of an exciting and stimulating environment where team skills can be learnt, but care must be taken to ensure that the other aspects of their education are not sacrificed and that their individual needs are fully met.
No system of student selection is perfect, nor is any system of education and training. Hence it is inevitable that some PhD students will fail at the hurdle of their final examination. In a properly conducted system such failure should be extremely rare. To ensure that this is so requires that the progress of students be closely monitored throughout their programmes; much of the responsibility for this must inevitably rest with the supervisor.
Although most PhD students are likely to be sufficiently mature and well motivated to apply themselves with energy and enthusiasm to their education and research, they need to know how well they are progressing. It is an important part of the duty of a supervisor to see to it that his or her students realise what is expected of them and to keep them informed about their progress. It is as important a function of supervisors to encourage their students and bolster their morale when the research is going badly as it is to ensure that they receive a rounded education in chemistry.
At the same time, regular assessment is an integral part of any programme of study; students should expect to be assessed with varying degrees of formality at different stages of their programmes. The importance attached by an institution and the dedication displayed by most students to the taught component of the PhD are likely to be directly related to the rigour of the assessment process and the consequences of a failure to meet the criteria which have been specified.
4.4.1 Annual Reporting and Assessment
Students should be required at the end of each year to report formally on their progress, such reports being prepared in accordance with institutionally approved criteria. These reports should in all cases be seen by an authority other than the supervisor and students should be required to defend them in a formal setting involving staff other than the student s immediate supervisor(s). Reporting would also include a record of the studies contributing to scientific understanding and scientific awareness, which should be a matter for assessment and discussion with the student. This review would be a suitable occasion when students log books could be presented for comment. Institutions should have a formal procedure for the rigorous assessment of students at the end of each year of study.
The assessment at the end of the first year of research is particularly important. This is the stage at which a decision should normally be taken whether or not to permit the student to continue to a PhD. Most will be ready to continue, but those who appear to be incapable of reaching the required standard are entitled to be told clearly and honestly at this stage. It is very unfair to allow a student to continue when it is judged that he or she is not going to succeed, or might obtain a PhD on work of less than a wholly adequate standard.
Many institutions normally register students initially for the award of MPhil, or for the award of MPhil with the explicit possibility of transfer to PhD, and only permit transfer of registration to PhD on the basis of satisfactory progress. Other institutions, while not controlling the registration process in this way, nonetheless have particularly stringent progress requirements at the end of the first year, failure at which requires the withdrawal of the student or, at best, re-registration for a Master s degree.
The apparent reluctance of some supervisors and some universities to require students who are not coping with the rigours of a PhD programme to re-register for the lower award of MPhil or, in some cases, to discontinue their studies, is not compatible with the need to maintain the standard of the PhD award, nor in the best interest of the individual student. Failure by some institutions to apply sufficiently rigorous standards has drawn adverse comments from industry. Research Councils will not withdraw a studentship allocation to a department when a student in receipt of an award discontinues within the first year.
4.4.2 The Final PhD Examination
Every institution will have its own formal regulations regarding the final examination for the PhD. It is not the intention of these guidelines to seek to supersede such regulations, though they may serve to inform their interpretation.
There are usually two or more examiners of whom one is always external to the university. External examiners are normally chosen for their recognised standing in the area of the research topic and their competence as examiners. While it is acknowledged that in certain cases the field will be limited, every effort should be made to ensure the manifest impartiality of the external examiner. A group or department should not seek to rely more than it can possibly help on one, or on a small number of individuals.
The internal examiners should not include the supervisor save in the most exceptional circumstances, but it might be appropriate for an internal examiner to have been previously associated with the monitoring of the student's progress. This person will know the range of general courses and seminars which have been accessible to the student and will be able to verify that the student has participated fully in the specified programme and has successfully completed the associated assessments.
The examiners have the right to be properly briefed by the institution on what is required of them. They must have sufficient information about the totality of an individual student's programme to enable them to assess it adequately. While the examiners as a Board have a collective responsibility, their roles though joint may be seen in practice as essentially complementary.
The external examiner is likely to focus particularly on the thesis; the internal examiner is best placed to concentrate on the supporting studies. The submission of a thesis normally represents only a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award: the examiners should between them verify that the candidate has fulfilled all the requirements for the award for which he or she is being assessed.
It is helpful if the regulations of the institution allow examiners to refer the candidate back to rectify minor errors or imperfections in the thesis, or for the candidate to have a second viva or oral examination if his or her knowledge or competence seemed not up to the required standard. This will reduce pressure on examiners and safeguard standards.
In selecting students for admission to research degree programmes, institutions will wish to match their abilities and aspirations with the programmes of study and the resources which are available. The selection of PhD students who do not hold UK qualifications (or equivalent qualifications awarded elsewhere in the European Union) may present particular difficulties, especially if, as is usual, the candidates are not available for interview. In some cases it may be necessary for students to complete a preliminary year comprising largely taught material so that they can be more fully and formally assessed to ensure that they can progress to a programme leading to a PhD. It will be necessary to assess some applicant s competence in English to ensure that it is adequate to cope with the requirements of a demanding academic programme.
In the case of students based in industry where the research programme is part of normal employment, or even in some cases where a student is being recruited to an industrially funded programme, care will be needed to ensure the primacy of the quality of the student s education and training for the award of the PhD.
Institutions will have in place mechanisms for ensuring the quality of all aspects of their educational provision as is required by the Funding Councils and encouraged by the Higher Education Quality Council. The nature of such mechanisms and how they operate will depend on the mission and characteristics of individual institutions.
In all cases it would seem desirable that safeguards to ensure that intended standards are being met exist at a level above that of the department. Departmental safeguards while crucial, are by themselves too close to the activity to ensure an adequate breadth of perspective and may not be able to demonstrate the necessary detachment. Whether the most appropriate and effective review stage is at the faculty or institutional level will vary between institutions. In all cases it will be necessary that institutional procedures can be readily verified as part of the process of academic audit.
Among aspects which may benefit from formalisation and review at a supra-departmental level are:
The chemistry PhD is generally highly regarded by employers and academics alike, and UK graduates are well received abroad. Nonetheless there is no doubt that improvements can be made without major change to the existing structure. The proposals contained in this paper have been collated by the Society from existing practice in various institutions, and it is hoped that making them more widely known will help the spread of good practice.
What is required of students, supervisors and examiners - a check list
Students will be expected
Supervisors will be expected
Examiners in the final examination for the PhD will be expected
The Society's Royal Charter requires it to establish, uphold and advance the standards of qualification, competence and conduct of those who practise chemistry as a profession. This necessitates the accreditation of courses and the recognition of an individual as a Chartered Chemist (CChem) by the Society.
The requirements for the award of the CChem designation, which are set out below, are the possession of academic qualifications recognised by the Society as being of appropriate standard, of suitable experience, and the demonstration of competence to practice. The professional requirements for the award of CChem embrace many of the aims of the PhD and provide a framework for guiding and assessing the progress of students.
ACADEMIC: Hold a first or second class honours degree from a course accredited by the Society.
PROFESSIONAL: Satisfy the following criteria:
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